Which procedure involves data collection on the immediate antecedent and consequence for observed target behaviors?

• A. ABC Data
• B. Functional Assessment Procedures
• C. FAST
• D. MAS

Answer: (A)

Collecting data on the immediate antecedent and consequence for observed target behaviors is ABC data. In this approach you record, for every instance of the behavior, what happened right before (the antecedent), the behavior itself, and what happened afterward (the consequence). Doing this in the natural environment across many occurrences helps you identify patterns in what seems to trigger the behavior and what maintains it, pointing to the function—such as gaining attention, escaping a demand, or obtaining a tangible item. This descriptive method provides concrete, moment-to-moment information that guides further assessment or intervention. Broader Functional Assessment Procedures include additional methods like interviews or structured analyses, while tools like FAST or MAS are rating or screening instruments, not the continuous direct observation of antecedents and consequences that defines ABC data.